What Salesforce, Google and Microsoft’s acquisitions tell us about CRM – and why data is the new capital

This week’s acquisitions by Salesforce (Tableau), Google (Looker) and Microsoft (PowerAI) all point to one critical change in the business environment – that data is the new capital. We have financial capital and human capital - now we have data capital.

Using data properly allows large enterprises to better predict what their customers need. In the good old days, circa five years ago, you only used addresses to mail invoices. Sometimes it was used in demographic...

13 June 2019 | CRM

Salesforce dives into blockchain with low-code CRM offering

Salesforce has announced the launch of Salesforce Blockchain, a CRM product which aims to let users share verified, distributed data sets across a network of partners and third parties.

The low-code offering, aimed at developers working on the Lightning platform, has its theory in exploring how CRM can extend beyond direct customer relationships to creating business models around ecosystems. The blockchain technology is used to provide a secure distributed ledger to independently...

30 May 2019 | CRM

The nuts and bolts: Why B2B marketers shouldn’t overlook enhancing their CRM today

As marketers, there is always a focus on results and ROI – it goes with the territory. After all, generating value and leads for clients are what ultimately drives their businesses, and keeps customers happy.

And, when it comes to keeping track, it’s a must for communicators to be savvy when measuring the warm conversations they’re having with positive prospects and existing clientele. So, when analysing elements such as goal conversions – for example...

16 May 2019 | Big Data

Why cloud-based interoperability is critical to the modern marketing stack

According to the Content Marketing Institute, 92 percent of B2B companies and 86 percent of B2C organisations now depend on content marketing to drive growth and customer retention. With daily online, social media, and video campaigns supplanting traditional print and television advertising media, marketers increasingly need a more robust, efficient way of creating diverse content and getting it in front of potential customers.

Traditionally, marketing departments have stitched...

9 May 2019 | Advertising

Six killer marketing metrics that really matter: Segmentation and engagement

The life of a digital marketer is rarely straightforward. Whilst other communicators may perhaps argue it’s easier for their digital peers to evidence ROI, those within the world of email marketing, for instance, may be quick to defend their position. Because yes, they have a wealth of metrics at their fingertips, but it can be difficult to know where to start. Death by data anyone?

Focusing only on open and click rates?

In his book How to Win Friends and Influence...

3 April 2019 | CRM

Moving from AI to ‘applied intelligence’ to identify revenue sources and deliver business value

As companies increasingly adopt CRM technology and improve their data governance, they now have more customer and prospect data than ever before. They have reams of sales and marketing metrics. Yet in the post-GDPR era, with plummeting data confidence, growing numbers now admit the sales funnel is broken.

With a challenging economic climate and Brexit looming, it is not poor products or services that are compromising business success: it is companies’ inability to close new...

22 November 2018 | Advertising

Transforming customer experience into an actionable marketing strategy: A guide

The workforce as we know it is changing and companies must be ready to adapt to fast change as we become ever more tech-centric. However, despite the digital noise there is one element that will always remain a constant requirement for success; delivering an excellent customer experience (CX) and maintaining a well-received brand image.

In our highly connected 'always on' digital world, CX combined with word of mouth is potentially one of the most powerful marketing tools...

12 November 2018 | CRM

The era of fluidity: How to achieve genuine customer-centricity in a post-CRM world

We’re in the era of fluidity. As the Experience Economy has exploded, there has been a seismic shift in the power base from brands to customers and, with that, a series of dramatic changes in how we enable brands to successfully bond with people. We must now meet emotional, tangible and functional needs seamlessly in every, and any touchpoint the customer desires.

Accompanying this change is a raft of continually emerging technology solutions that can be utilised to plan and...

31 October 2018 | CRM

The top trends shaping CRM in 2018

The concept of CRM has shifted over the years from a Rolodex of business cards to a digital sales contact management system to its current incarnation as a fully-realised sales and marketing enablement solution. But as markets grow and fragment, and consumer behaviours and technologies evolve at a rapid pace, CRM must keep up with those changes in order to remain valuable to sales-driven organisations.

So what will CRM look like for the rest of 2018 and beyond? Here are a few of the...

11 September 2018 | CRM

Will the SaaS revolution stifle digital marketing innovation?

It’s a common perception that software as a service (SaaS) now drives digital industry innovation.

Companies like Salesforce, MailChimp, Kenshoo, Marin and Impact ushered in SaaS revolutions in their respective industries by introducing new technology and pricing models. But some people question, will SaaS really be good for digital innovation over the next decade?

The growth and popularity of SaaS business models is undeniable. According to the Q1 2018...

7 September 2018 | CRM